Ferry (horse)

A Ferry horse refers to a type of specialized equine transportation service primarily used to move people or goods across a body of water. Unlike using a swimming horse directly, or relying solely on boats, a Ferry horse involved a system where horses were trained to pull or assist in the propulsion of a shallow-drafted vessel, essentially acting as the "engine" of a horse-powered ferry.

These systems typically involved:

• A Shallow-Drafted Vessel: A specialized boat or raft, designed to carry passengers, cargo, or even vehicles.

• Trained Horses: Horses were specifically trained to walk along a designated towpath or sometimes even in the water alongside the vessel, pulling the ferry across the water. This required patience, strength, and specific training to respond to commands given by the ferry operator.

• Towropes/Harnesses: The horses were connected to the ferry via towropes and harnesses, which allowed them to exert the necessary force to move the vessel.

Ferry horse operations were particularly common in areas where the water was too shallow for larger boats, the currents were too strong for rowing, or the volume of traffic was insufficient to warrant the construction of a bridge. They could be found in various locations throughout history, utilizing different breeds of horses depending on the local availability and demands. This method of transportation was eventually superseded by steam-powered ferries and bridges, but represented an important stage in the evolution of transportation technology. The practice demonstrates human ingenuity in adapting animal power to overcome geographical challenges.